


Bring Me Love (This Christmas)

by HarmonyLover



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: F/M, holiday fluff, movie stars au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:42:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22162285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarmonyLover/pseuds/HarmonyLover
Summary: Sarah is out of town on a movie shoot over the holidays. Jack sulks, alone in their New York apartment after returning from a shoot of his own.Until, that is, his friends show up to play holiday elves and bring a little magic with them - and the best gift of all.
Relationships: Sarah Jacobs/Jack Kelly
Comments: 9
Kudos: 10





	Bring Me Love (This Christmas)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Carbon65](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carbon65/gifts).

> This little holiday fic came into my head while listening to John Legend’s “Bring Me Love,” which is such a cute holiday song. And my brain insisted that I should set it in the Movie Stars AU, a Jack and Sarah AU that I have made a moodboard for - but I haven’t even written the main story yet! Just know that in this ‘verse, Jack and Sarah are both actors, and fell in love filming a movie together, and now split their time between California and New York. Kath is Jack’s agent and Spot is his publicist, while Davey is still Sarah’s brother and also her agent, and Race is her publicist. The rest, I hope, will explain itself. I know this is really past holiday time, but I hope you all enjoy it anyway, especially Carbon65, who very much wanted me to write it. :) Also my heartfelt thanks, as always, to WickedforGood13, for being a flawless beta and editor. :)
> 
> Small warning for this: Jack and Spot swear a few times. I can't do anything with them. Boys.

**Chapter One**

A knock sounded at the apartment door, and Jack, from under his comforter on the couch, groaned.

Sarah was still away on a movie shoot, making a rom-com in Greece with Bill Hearst - _ Bill Hearst _, for Christ’s sake, who was wealthy and charming and as gay as Rock Hudson - and Jack had been doing his best to ignore both Sarah’s absence and the holidays, save going over to the Jacobs’ once or twice during Hanukkah. (Esther would have been mortally offended if he hadn’t come when invited, and frankly, he couldn’t stand to think about how upset Sarah would have been as well. So he had gone, and Esther and Meyer had put up with his brooding, while Davey and Les tried to cheer him up, which had worked only to a degree.)

He had come home from his own movie shoot in New Zealand two weeks ago, shut himself into his and Sarah’s apartment, and done his best to become Ebenezer Scrooge.

He hadn’t put up any of their decorations. He had tried reading the new scripts Kath had sent him, but couldn’t focus on them, despite her repeated and insistent messages that he had to tell her (and Now, Please) if he wanted to audition for any of them - that was what she was there to do as his agent, after all. He had ignored Spot’s suggestions, as his publicist, that Jack do some kind of holiday fundraising and/or charity event - which normally Jack loved, as he always chose an organization involving children and loved to see their excitement over whatever he was able to do for them, or help do for them. 

It was Christmas Eve today, and Sarah wasn’t home, and he was in no mood to do anything but sulk.

He shouldn’t be so pathetic, he knew. But he _ missed _ her - he missed her so much, and the holidays were dark and gloomy without her. They had been together for two years now, and being apart from each other for filming never seemed to get easier. This was the first holiday season they had been forced to be in separate places, and it hurt far more than Jack had expected, despite almost constant texting and Skype calls when they could negotiate the time difference.

The knocking came again, louder and more insistent, and Davey’s voice called to him from the other side of the door.

“Open up, Jack; I know you’re in there!” 

Jack groaned again and tried to get up off the couch, landing in an ungraceful heap on the floor. Cursing, he untangled himself from the comforter and limped over to the door. When he opened it, he beheld not just Davey, but Spot, Race, Kath, and Charlie. Race and Spot were holding a large fir tree up between them, Kath had a box that was overflowing with decorations, and Davey had two shopping bags that were bulging with food. Charlie, improbably, was playing Santa Claus, as he was wearing a Santa hat and had two enormous bags that were stuffed with gifts.

“Wow, Jack, you look like shit,” Spot said, and Jack rolled his eyes. 

“Thanks so much for that, Spot. Isn’t it your job as my publicist to be a little more encouraging?”

“Actually, it’s my job as your publicist to tell you when you look like shit, and it’s even more my job as your friend,” Spot said, elbowing his way past Jack into the apartment.

“Come on in,” Jack said sarcastically.

“He’s right, you know, Cowboy,” Kath said, coming in next. “You look awful, and I agree - as your agent and your friend, it’s my job to tell you that. For heaven’s sake, go take a shower, would you?”

“Daaaaveeeey,” Jack whined, looking appealingly over at his best friend. 

“Nope,” David said flatly, wearing his best Disapproving face. “You’re not getting any help from me, Jack. We’re here on Sarah’s orders not to let you wallow and ruin Christmas, which you’ve been making your best attempt at doing.”

“You might as well give in, Cowboy,” Race said from the hallway. “You know we all love Sarah more than you, and her orders come before yours.” 

“Traitors,” Jack muttered, walking back into the apartment as Race and Spot began to maneuver the tree through the door. “Even you!” he said crossly, pointing at Charlie, who was maneuvering his crutches and the gift bags through the door. “My own brother!” 

“Foster brother,” Charlie corrected him. “That’s all you get to claim when you’re being this much of an idiot.”

Jack threw himself back on the couch and folded his arms, pouting, while his friends went to work around him. Spot and Race managed to get the tree into its holder and in front of the large window in the living room. Kath began to carefully wind lights on it while Charlie unpacked the other decorations from her bag. Jack could hear Davey rummaging around in the kitchen, putting away his bags of food.

“Where are your and Sarah’s ornaments and decorations, Jack?” Charlie asked. “Kath brought some things we thought we might need, but part of Sarah’s directive was to make sure this place was decorated in full.” Jack glared at him, but Charlie just cocked his head and lifted his eyebrows.

“On the floor in the hall closet. Two big tubs,” Jack finally said, giving in. “They have both Hanukkah and Christmas ornaments in them.”

“On my way,” Charlie said, heading for the hall with Spot on his heels.

“Jack, in the name of all that is holy, go take a shower,” Davey said, reappearing from the kitchen. “Kath asked nicely; don’t make me play dirty.”

“And how do you think you’re goin’ to do that?” Jack said, challenging him.

“I have a whole tray of Mama’s _ rugelach _ with me,” David said. “If you do not go make yourself presentable, you do not get a single one.” 

“You wouldn’t dare,” Jack said, staggered, for Esther’s _ rugelach _ were legendary, and Davey knew Jack’s weakness for them.

“I absolutely would,” David said firmly. “Shower. Now. And put on something nice, rather than those pajamas that look like you’ve been wearing them for a week.” 

“They don’t just look like that,” Jack said under his breath, and Kath made a noise of disgust from her place at the tree. 

“Eeeewww. I don’t know how I ever get anyone to believe you are suave and charming, Jack Kelly,” she said. “I don’t know how Sarah puts up with you. Ick.”

Spot reappeared with two boxes of ornaments in his arms, carrying them as though they weighed about as much as a box of feathers. “Jacky-boy, if you don’t come out of the shower looking like you are going to a photoshoot, I won’t help you do anything to repair the damage you’ve done by being a complete hermit over the holidays.”

“What damage? You can just say I’ve been taking a break, enjoying my family after finishing a film shoot early in December,” Jack said, glaring daggers at him.

“None of your usual fundraising and work with children? No appearance at Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes show? No dinners out with your lovely girlfriend? Lack of sightings means lack of publicity, my friend, and you know it,” Spot shot back.

“No one expected me to be anythin’ other than a hermit _ before _ I met Sarah,” Jack grumbled.

“But then you did, and you changed, and so did she, and I know you wouldn’t have it any other way, so _ go get in the shower _,” Race said in exasperation, coming out from behind the tree and pushing him down the hall.

“Fine, fine, I’m going,” Jack said, throwing up his hands.

He spent a long time in the shower, reveling in the hot water, washing his hair twice, and making sure the grime of the last week was off his body. By the time he felt clean, he was ashamed enough of his own behavior that he put extra effort into looking nice. He shaved carefully, styled his hair, and chose a pair of charcoal trousers and a light gray sweater that were on the dressier side. His friends were here to cheer him up because Sarah had known he would be missing her and told them to keep him company. The least he could do was try and be appreciative.

When he re-emerged into the living room, Kath had the lights on the tree and was busily adding decorations. Charlie was arranging gifts under the tree with Spot’s help. Race was carefully setting out Sarah’s menorah and glass Hanukkah ornaments on the mantle.

Charlie looked up and gave a whoop.

“There’s my brother! Your status has officially been restored,” he said sassily.

“Glad to know I haven’t been disinherited,” Jack chuckled.

“Well, look at that. Jack Kelly, movie star, decided to make an appearance,” Kath said, giving him an approving smile.

“I wouldn’t go as far as ‘movie star,’ but it’s definitely several steps up from ungroomed, sulky, and generally disgusting Jack Kelly,” Spot said, looking him up and down.

Davey emerged from the kitchen holding two _ rugelach _. After doing his own once-over of Jack, he held out the desserts, which Jack took with alacrity.

“Much better. Sarah will absolutely not kill me now,” Davey grinned.

“Well, we can’t have that. It would be a bad look, Sarah killing her own brother and agent,” Jack quipped.

“Definitely a bad look,” Davey agreed.

“You two think you’re kidding, but heaven help me if Sarah ever decides to go on the rampage about anything,” Race said with a shudder. “She’s the sweetest person alive, until she isn’t.”

“That’s the truth,” Jack said, laughing fully. Sarah had a very long fuse, but when she truly got angry, her anger was a fearsome thing, and rather awe-inspiring. Jack, thankfully, had only had it directed at himself once or twice, generally with good reason.

A knock sounded at the door again, and Kath squealed, clapping her hands.

“Were we expecting someone?” Jack said suspiciously.

“We may have done some inviting before we all headed over here,” Kath called over her shoulder. She opened the door, and people began pouring in: Esther; Mayer; Les; Bryan Denton and Medda Larkson, who were two of their closest director friends; Mush Meyers, who was one of Jack’s closest actor friends and a fierce dancer besides; Specs (whose actual name was Mark but who made a living playing bookish character parts); Boots (who was Arvie, but famous for his parts in Westerns and crime dramas); Hannah, who had starred with Sarah in several period films, and a whole slew of others.

They all began greeting each other with hugs and exuberance, and Jack shot Race and Spot a look.

“You took this whole cheering up thing really seriously, didn’t you?” 

“We told you, Jacky-boy, Sarah’s orders before all,” Spot said roguishly, and Jack rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the smile pulling at his mouth.

“How did you get all of these people to come to my apartment on Christmas Eve?”

“We have magical powers of persuasion,” Race said, winking at him.

Jack shook his head. “I don’t want to know - but I appreciate it,” he said, smiling, and Race’s face relaxed into a true smile as he clapped Jack on the shoulder.

“We can’t have you bein’ lonely, Jack. What else are friends for?”

Jack reached out and gave him a hug, and they held each other for a moment before Race pulled away.

“You’re welcome. Come use your height to put the tree topper on, would you?” Race said, and Jack laughed. 

“Always glad to be useful.”

The party was a smashing success from the start. Davey had laid out a massive amount of food in Jack’s kitchen, and Bryan and Medda immediately took charge of making drinks for everyone. Hannah helped Katherine finish the tree with alacrity, and Race took advantage of Jack’s large music collection, curating a tasteful rotation of holiday songs. Jack hadn’t seen many of the guests since before he left to shoot his latest film, and so he spent the next few hours catching up with everyone, amid much laughter and teasing. He was warmed through by everyone’s care for him; they had given up their Christmas Eve to come and make holiday cheer for him, and that meant the world.

By the time the third knock of the night came at his door, it was nearing midnight. Jack looked up at the sound and frowned; it was rare for anyone to just show up this late, but perhaps one of their other friends was a late arrival.

“Jack, you should get that!” Katherine called, winking and grinning at him from across the room. “It’s your house, after all.”

Her smile told Jack that she _ definitely _ knew who was at the door, and that did not necessarily bode well for him. Seriously, if she was playing some kind of prank on him - 

He swung the door open and immediately felt all of the air leave his lungs.

“Merry Christmas, Cowboy,” Sarah said softly, smiling her smile that was just for him, the one Jack had been dreaming about for weeks. “Special delivery.”

“Sarah,” Jack breathed. “Oh, my God, Sarah.” He stepped forward and swept her into his arms, spinning her around as she laughed. “What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to be home until next week!”

“We got done with shooting early,” Sarah said as he set her down. Her suitcase was also in the hall, and she was still in her winter coat and hat; she had clearly just come from the airport. She reached up and stroked his face, and Jack leaned into her fingers, cherishing her touch. “We all wanted to be home for the holidays, and Weisel might be a temperamental jerk of a director, but he swore we could finish the shoot, and we did. Once I knew I could get here, I booked the first flight I could find.”

Jack pulled her back into his arms, burying his face in her hair and breathing in her smell, before he leaned down and kissed her feverishly. “Oh, Sarah, I missed you. I missed you so much. I’ve been a mess - I probably shouldn’t admit that, but I was - “

“I know,” Sarah said, pulling him closer by putting her arms around his waist. “I was worried about you. Everyone was worried about you. It isn’t like you to be so depressed over the holidays, sweetheart.”

“It isn’t the same without you,” Jack murmured. “Holidays aren’t holidays without you, love.”

“Why do you think I had our family and friends bring as much of me with them as they could?” Sarah said gently, and the love in her eyes was unmistakable. “I’m always _ here _, Jack,” and she placed her hand over his heart, “even when I can’t be with you, no matter what time of year it is.”

Jack kissed her again, and Sarah responded in kind. They kissed until they were breathless, and were finally interrupted by Davey, who stuck his head out of the apartment. 

“There’s mistletoe in here that you two lovebirds can keep kissing under if you really want to,” he said, grinning. “But there’s a whole lot of people who would like to see you, Saz, and we have a holiday party to finish!”

“We’re coming,” Sarah said, smiling at her brother, and Davey nodded, winking at Jack before he withdrew.

“You set all of this up before you got on the plane,” Jack said in realization. “Kath knew you were coming - Davey obviously did, too - did you have everyone in on it?”

“Yes,” Sarah admitted, her eyes sparkling. “Well - Kath and Davey and Race and Spot and Charlie. I left the guest list up to them. I wanted to surprise you, and I _ was _ worried about you - I thought our family and friends and some holiday merrymaking would be the perfect way to lift your mood before I got here.” 

“It’s the best present I’ve ever had,” Jack declared, kissing her one last time. “And you are the best part of it. Happy holidays, love.”

“Happy holidays, Jack,” Sarah said, smiling, and she took his hand in hers and led him inside, where their family was waiting for them. 


End file.
